Astroblog

Obscured by Clouds. The rough and ready blog of a cloud benighted biologist and amateur astronomer. Astroblog will cover my interests in astronomy, biology and Life, the Universe and Everything.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Sky This Week - Thursday April 28 to Thursday May 5

The "Blue" Last Quarter Moon is Saturday April 30. Jupiter is visible all evening long . Venus is
low above the horizon in the twilight.
Saturn is
close to the red star Antares and forms a triangle with Mars. Mars is in
retrograde motion. Start of Eta Aquariid meteor shower.

The Last Quarter Moon is Saturday April 30. This is a "Blue" Last Quarter Moon, the second Last Quarter Moon this month.

Evening sky on Thursday April 28 looking north-west as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACST. The inset is the telescopic view of Jupiter at 23:00 ACST this
time. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Jupiterwas
at opposition on the March 8th, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from
Earth. However, Jupiter will be an excellent telescopic target for many
weeks to come.

Jupiter enters
the evening sky as the sun sets, and is
good for telescopic observation from around 21:00 on. Jupiter's Moons
will be an excellent sight late in the evening. On the 28th Europa appears from eclipse.

The evening is also graced by the summer
constellations of Taurus (with the V shaped cluster the Hyades forming
the head of Taurus the Bull) just
above the western horizon at the beginning of evening.
Orion the Hunter and Canis Major with bright Sirius, the dog star are above it and set early in the evening.

Evening sky on Saturday April 30 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACST. Mars, Saturn and Antares form a triangle. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Mars
is high in the morning skies and is now rising in the evening before
midnight. Mars is in the head of the Scorpion.

Mars starts the week below the bright red star Antares in Scorpio. Mars
forms a triangle with Saturn and the
red star Antares.

Saturn is low in the evening sky around midnight and is readily visible below
Scorpius. Saturn forms a triangle with Mars and the red star
Antares.

Early morning sky on Thursday May 5 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 6:00 am ACST showing Venus low in the twilight. Similar views
will
be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is becoming harder to see as it sinks in the morning twilight. It is a distinct "gibbous
Moon" shape and is nice in a small
telescope.

Morning sky on Thursday May 5 looking east as seen from Adelaide
at 4:00 am ACST. The radiant of the eta Aquariid meteor shower is
shown. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at equivalent
local times. (click
to embiggen).

The eta Aquariids meteor shower, the debris from Halleys comet, will peak on May 6 UT . However, good rates (compared to the peak) will be seen from Australia on the morning of the 5th at around one every five minutes, although the best rates are the 7th and 8th with around one meteor every 3 minutes.

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. If you don't
have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The Sky This Week - Thursday April 21 to Thursday April 28

The Full Moon is Friday April 22 and is the smallest Full Moon this year. Jupiter is visible all
night long . Venus is
low above the horizon in the twilight.
Saturn is
close to the red star Antares and forms a triangle with Mars. Mars is in retrograde motion and is visited by the Moon on the 24th. ANtares, Saturn and Mars are close to the Moon on the 25th.

The Full Moon is Friday April 22. The Moon is at apogee on the 22nd, and this is the smallest Full Moon this year (a Mini-Moon).

Evening sky on Thursday April 21 looking north-west as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACST. The inset is the telescopic view of Jupiter at this
time. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Jupiterwas
at opposition on the March 8th, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from
Earth. However, Jupiter will be an excellent telescopic target for many
weeks to come.

Jupiter enters
the evening sky as the sun sets, and is
good for telescopic observation from around 21:00 on. Jupiter's Moons
will be an excellent sight late in the evening. On the 21st Ganymede transits Jupiter and Europa appears from eclipse.

The evening is also graced by the summer
constellations of Taurus (with the V shaped cluster the Hyades forming
the head of Taurus the Bull) just
above the western horizon at the beginning of evening.
Orion the Hunter and Canis Major with bright Sirius, the dog star are above it and set early in the evening.

Evening sky on Monday April 25 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACST. Mars, Saturn and Antares form a triangle with the Moon nearby. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Mars
is high in the morning skies and is now rising in the evening before
midnight. Mars is in the head of the Scorpion.

Mars starts the week below the bright red star Antares in Scorpio. Mars
forms a triangle with Saturn and the
red star Antares. On the 24th and 25t the waxing Moon is near Mars.

Saturn is low in the evening sky around midnight and is readily visible below
Scorpius. Saturn forms a triangle with Mars and the red star
Antares. On the 25th the Moon joins Mars, Saturn and Antares.

Early morning sky on Sunday April 24 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 6:00 am ACST showing Venus low in the twilight. Similar views
will
be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is becoming harder to see as it sinks in the morning twilight. It is a distinct "gibbous
Moon" shape and is nice in a small
telescope.

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. If you don't
have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

The Sky This Week - Thursday April 14 to Thursday April 21

The First Quarter Moon is Thursday April 14. Jupiter is is visible all
night long and is close to the Moon on the 18th. Venus is
low above the horizon in the twilight.
Saturn is
close to the red star Antares and forms a triangle with Mars which is in
on the head of the Scorpion. Mars is stationary on the 17th.

The First Quarter Moon is Thursday
April 14.

Evening sky on Monday April 18 looking north-west as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACST. The inset is the telescopic view of Jupiter at this
time, showing Io before Jupiter occults it.. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Jupiterwas
at opposition on the March 8th, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from
Earth. However, Jupiter will be an excellent telescopic target for many
weeks to come.

Jupiter enters
the evening sky as the sun sets, and is
good for telescopic observation from around 21:00 on. Jupiter's Moons
will be an excellent sight late in the evening. Jupiter occults Io on the 18th, and there is a double transit of Io, Europa and their shadows on the 19th.

The evening is also graced by the summer
constellations of Taurus (with the V shaped cluster the Hyades forming
the head of Taurus the Bull) just
above the western horizon at the beginning of evening.
Orion the Hunter and Canis Major with bright Sirius, the dog star are above it and set early in the evening.

Evening sky on Saturday April 16 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 23:00 ACST. Mars Saturn and Antares form a triangle. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Mars
is high in the morning skies and is now rising in the evening before
midnight. Mars is in the head of the Scorpion.

Mars starts the week below the bright red star Antares in Scorpio. Mars forms a triangle with Saturn and the
red star Antares. on the 17th Mars's motion comes to a stand still, and then it reveres direction as Earth overtakes it in it orbit.

Saturn is low in the evening sky around midnight and is readily visible below
Scorpius. Saturn forms a triangle with Mars and the red star
Antares.

Early morning sky on Sunday April 17 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 6:00 am ACST showing Venus low in the twilight. Similar views
will
be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is becoming harder to see as it sinks in the morning twilight. It is a distinct "gibbous
Moon" shape and is nice in a small
telescope.

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. If you don't
have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.

Wednesday, April 06, 2016

The Sky This Week - Thursday April 7 to Thursday April 14

The New Moon is Thursday April 7 and the First Quarter Moon is Thursday April 14. Jupiter is is visible all
night long and has occults a faint star on the 13th. Venus is
low above the horizon in the twilight.
Saturn is
close to the red star Antares and forms a triangle with Mars which is in
on the head of the Scorpion.

The New Moon is Thursday April 7 and the First Quarter Moon is Thursday April 14. The Moon is at perigee, closest to the Earth, on the 8th.

Evening sky on Wednesday April 13 looking north-west as seen from
Adelaide
at 00:30 ACST. The inset is the telescopic view of Jupiter at this
time, showing the faint star HIP 54057 before Jupiter occults it.. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Jupiterwas
at opposition on the March 8th, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from
Earth. However, Jupiter will be an excellent telescopic target for many
weeks to come.

Jupiter enters
the evening sky as the sun sets, and is
good for telescopic observation from around 21:00 on. Jupiter's Moons
will be an excellent sight late in the evening.

April 12-13 sees an unusual, but telescope only, occultation of a 7th
magnitude star by Jupiter. Jupiter passes in front of the dim star HIP
54057 on the morning of April 13 (Eastern and Central states) and
evening of the 12th (WA). HIP 54057 is a dim star visible in telescopes
(magnitude 7). The occultation will be seen from Eastern Australia at
00:30 am, Central Australia at 00:15 am and in Western Australia at
22:30 pm. The occultation ends after Jupiter has set in the eastern
states, at 3:00 am in the central states and 1:30 am on the 13th in
Western Australia.

The evening is also graced by the summer
constellations of Taurus (with the V shaped cluster the Hyades forming
the head of Taurus the Bull and the beautiful Pleiades cluster nearby),
Orion the Hunter and Canis Major with bright Sirius, the dog star,
above the western horizon at the beginning of evening.

Evening sky on Saturday April 9 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 23:55 ACDST. Mars Saturn and Antares for a triangle. Similar views
will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Mars
is high in the morning skies and is now rising in the evening before
midnight. Mars is in the head of the Scorpion.

Mars starts the week below a triangle of stars formed by Grafias, the double star omega
Scorpii and nu Scoprii. It then moves further down the body of the Scorpion. Mars also forms a triangle with Saturn and the
red star Antares.

Saturn is low in the evening sky around midnight and is readily visible below
Scorpius. Saturn forms a triangle with Mars and the red star
Antares.

Early morning sky on Sunday April 10 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 6:00 am ACST showing Venus low in the twilight. Similar views
will
be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is becoming harder to see as it sinks in the morning twilight. It is a distinct "gibbous
Moon" shape and is nice in a small
telescope.

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. If you don't
have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.